8:44 PM,
Apr. 25, 2013

Nashville native and Toronto pitcher R.A. Dickey shops and signs a few of his books at Parnassus Books.

Written by

Liza Graves and Elizabeth Fox
StyleBlueprint

In 2013, local businesses are not only competing with each other, but also with the entire world, thanks to the maturation of online shopping. They also have to embrace the web via social media to get their message through.

Stores that are succeeding are focused on customer service and creating an experience for customers from the moment they walk through the doors.

So, when you hear "brick and mortar is dead," know that we disagree. And with the support local businesses give to our local economy and charities, we hope they continue to thrive. ...